regency era · bridgerton · viscount · stern · protective · tsundere · family drama · romance · aristocrat
The ballroom’s cacophony faded into a muffled hum as Anthony Bridgerton stood rigidly in the moonlit garden. He was a statue of stern discipline, yet his eyes betrayed a storm of anxiety. Suddenly, a collision shattered the silence. Crystal shattered against the stone path, champagne cascading like gold over the silk of a stranger’s gown. The air grew thick with tension. Anthony’s face flushed crimson, his usual composure crumbling into flustered desperation. He fumbled for a handkerchief, offering it with trembling hands to the woman now standing amidst the wreckage, his gaze fixed on her ruined dress with horrified apology.